The University of Hawai'i today was awarded a $2 million grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation today as part of the organization's push to strengthen geriatrics training for doctors across the country.

The money will go to the UH School of Medicine. A foundation spokesman said the medical school here is smaller than most Mainland institutions, with only 248 medical students, but is "highly regarded for its strong geriatrics fellowship and research programs."

Foundation trustee chairman Fred W. Smith said: "The trustees and I are optimistic that we will be able to improve the quality of care for the elderly across America."

The Las Vegas-based foundation was founded by the late media entrepreneur for which it is named. Reynolds founded and served as principal owner of the Donrey Media Group. At the time of his death in 1993, the organization had grown to include 52 daily newspapers  including the Hawai'i Tribune-Herald and West Hawai'i Today on the Big Island.

The foundation approved 10 grants, totaling $19.8 million.

The UH program plays to use the money to develop a curriculum in geriatrics for all four years of medical school and to institute geriatrics training in all three years of its medicine and family practice residency programs.

The foundation said that in the long term, the UH school will likely establish the country's fourth department of geriatrics.